Search examples

Original Lwaitel examples
The sky looks blue (to me).
 
An helíyel swin kílu .
[ˈan çʎ̩.ˈʎi.jl̩ ˈswɨɲ ˈki.ʎʉ ˈlu]
anprox helíyelsky swí-enbe.sbjv-prox kílucyan .see.

Alternate word orders allowed: Lú an helíyel swin kílu; An helíyel lú swin kílu. The sky may or may not actually be blue.

Original Lwaitel examples
The sky looks purple (but it really isn't).
  
An helíyel swin híleng úmpikwá.
[ˈan çʎ̩.ˈʎi.jl̩ ˈswɨɲ ˈçi.ʎŋ̩ ˈlu ˈum.pɨ.ˈkwɑ]
anprox helíyelsky swí-enbe.sbjv-prox hílengpurple see úmpikwá.false.
Examples of sentence-level things in Lwaitel : Adverbial clauses
If this were a dog, it would say "woof".
   ,  
Úlshi úmpikwá swin húpep, miusen mu hup
[ˈuʎ.ʃɨ ˈum.pɨ.ˈkwɑ ˈswɨɲ ˈhu.pʊ̜̆p, ˈmɪʉ.sn̩ mu ˈhup]
úlshiif úmpikwáfalse swí-enbe.sbjv-prox húpep,dog, mius-enmaus.sbjv-prox muquot hupwoof

Ulsi umpikwa introduces a counterfactual conditional. Both clauses of counterfactual conditionals use the subjunctive mood.

Examples of lú in Lwaitel : Perception of facts
The cat looks black (to me).
 
An myau swin swátel .
[ˈan ˈmjæo ˈswɨɲ ˈswɑ.tl̩ ˈlu]
anprox myaucat swí-enbe.sbjv-prox swátelblack .see.

Some alternate word orders allowed: Lú an myau swin swatel, An myau lú swin swatel. Not allowed: *An myau lú(n) swatel: when used in this sense, modifies a complete sentence, so the regular verb must be there. Definitely not allowed: *An myau lan saki (swa) swatel: lam saki does translate to "look", but it doesn't mean "look" in this sense, but rather that the cat is looking at something.

This expresses some uncertainty as to whether the cat really is black, or if it just looks that way for some reason. Because of this, the verb changes to the subjunctive (swin instead of swan).

Examples of lú in Lwaitel : Emotion
I want the cat to be black.
  
An myau swin swátel yátleng.
[ˈan ˈmjæo ˈswɨɲ ˈswɑ.tl̩ ˈlu ˈjæt.lŋ̩]
anprox myaucat swí-enbe.sbjv-prox swátelblack see yátleng.desire.
Examples of lú in Lwaitel : Thought
I think the cat is black (but I'm not sure).
  
An myau swin swátel líkelpwe.
[ˈan ˈmjæo ˈswɨɲ ˈswɑ.tl̩ ˈlu ˈʎi.kl̩.pwʊ̜̆]
anprox myaucat swí-enbe.sbjv-prox swátelblack see líkelpwe.suspect.

Not *An myau swin swatel lú pwili: that would only be used to contrast with what someone else thinks, or what one thinks at a later time. Also not *An myau swan swatel maus pemim; that means something else (see next example).

Sentences to Test Conlang Syntax in Lwaitel
23. I hope the rain stops soon.
    
Swí las suyátel sányeng yátpweyl.
[ˈswɨ ˈlas su.ˈjæ.tl̩ ˈsa.ɲŋ̩ ˈlu ˈjæt.pwʎ̩]
swíbe.sbjv lasstop suyátelrainy sányengsoon see yátpweyl.hope.
Translations from CALS in Lwaitel
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
   . ,  1     
An súshli luitu tap íhe. Tápku kiustenku, swan maus úni al hi swin maus pwíli hu chí.
[ˈan ˈsuʃ.ʎɨ ˈlʊɨ.tʉ ˈtap ˈi.çɪ̆, ˈtap.ku ˈkᵻʉs.tŋ̩.ku, ˈswɑn ˈmaos ˈu.ɲɨ ˈal çe ˈswɨɲ ˈmaos ˈlu ˈpwɨ.ʎi hʉ.ˈʧɨ]
anprox súshlihere luituname tapuse íhe.pl. tap-kuuse-1 kiusteng-ku,knowledge-1, swa-enbe-prox maussay únineg almed hiwhere swí-enbe.sbjv-prox maussay see pwílibelieve hu=chí.exp=you.
The Invention of Color in Lwaitel
Color got each of them to pick objects to be their color.
 hp hp ,    
Chúsen ish'al kílshe ngausu íhe, hi lu yátleng hu'al swí kaitu t'al.
[ˈʧʉ.sn̩ ˈi.ˈʃæl ˈkiʎ.ʃɪ̆ ˈŋɜo.su ˈi.çɪ̆, çi lʉ.ˈjæt.lŋ̩ ˈhwɑl ˈswɨ ˈkɜe.tʉ ˈtal]
chus-enmake-prox ish=aleach=med -el-sheget-med-indf ngausuchoose íhe,pl, hiwhere lu=yátlengpart=want hu=alexp=med swí-ibe.sbjv-obv kaitucolor te=al.dat=med.

...not sure how to translate the "to be their color" part, FIXME

TODO this sentence seems confusing